Page 21 - Priorities #55 2013-March/April

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Dear Friends of the Priory,
During this season of Lent, we are reminded of our gratitude for your generosity to Priory School. We continue to be grateful for your philanthropy and support.
After working as an Associate Director of Development at Priory for the past eight years, I have recently been appointed to succeed John Baldwin as Director of Development. My background also includes experience as a Priory parent, having had two sons graduate from Priory Middle School, and as a practicing attorney in Silicon Valley for many years. Combined, these experiences have given me a passion for philanthropy, an insider’s perspective of what makes Priory so special, and a firm belief in Priory’s mission.
I am pleased to say that our Annual Fund is doing well. Our 6th grade class was the first to reach 100% participation. Overall, current parent participation is at 90%. Last year, the Class of 2012 started the first Senior Legacy Fund. The goal of this program is to allow each class to create and continually support a permanent endowment at Priory. Each class fund will be unique and personalized to reflect the class’ own interests.
The opening of the Performing Art Center in 2007 serves as a daily reminder that new spaces create new opportunities. This summer we plan to continue to create new student opportunities as we begin the long-planned renovations of all our classroom buildings. Students returning to school this Fall will enter larger, more energy efficient and technology-integrated classrooms. These improvements will provide the flexible space needed to better teach our students. When informed about the purpose of this campaign, our faculty and staff responded with near 100% support within a day. Our Board of Trustees responded equally as well with 100% participation. I cannot think of a stronger testament to the importance of these renovations than to have the professionals most familiar with their educational impact respond so quickly and enthusiastically.
Upon completion of the renovations, we plan to begin construction of a new Academic Center on Benedictine Square and construction of a new state of the art Science Center. The total cost of all these improvements is estimated to be $15M. Because tuition and annual fund gifts cover only the operating costs of the school, we are currently meeting individually with families to ask for their support. If you wish to meet with us to discuss any of these transformational plans in more detail, please do not hesitate to contact me or anyone on the Campaign Leadership Team.
I do hope you will join us at our 55th Anniversary Auction and Fashion Show, Back to the Fifties, to be held on May 11th. This year we will once again have an afternoon tea and an evening dinner. This is a great way to support the school, to build community and to have fun.
Finally, as the new Director, I am thankful for the countless ways all our volunteers contribute their time, talents and treasures to make a world-class Benedictine education possible for all our students. On behalf of all my colleagues and the Priory community, thank you!
Sincerely,
Siobhán Lawlor
Director of Development
Students returning to school this Fall will enter larger, more energy efficient and technology integrated classrooms.
Campaign Leadership Team
Mike Calbert.................Chair Mike Carusi ..................Co-Chair Michelle Galloway .........Co-Chair Jennie Chiu
Br. Edward Englund Siobhan Lawlor Rick Magnuson Tim Molak
Cecilia Montalvo Jami Nachtsheim Guy Nohra
Ray Rothrock Brian Schlaak Ken Tehaney